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Obuchi Forms New Coalition to Press Legislative Agenda Japan Information and Culture Center, EMBASSY OF JAPAN OBUCHI FORMS NEW COALITION TO PRESS LEGISLATIVE AGENDA Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi returned from a trip to Europe on Jan. 13, in time to reach agreement with the opposition P Liberal Party to form a new coalition government, which should speed reform legislation through the parliament. The Liberals hold 39 seats in the more powerful 500-seat lower house of the Diet. Added to the Liberal Democratic Partys (LDP) 265 seats, the new coalition should assure swift passage of Mr. Obuchis ambitious reform legislation, designed to cut taxes and regulation and reform the financial sector in order to jump-start the economy. It will also give the LDP a boost in the Upper House, where it lacks a JAN. 1999 majority when the Diet convenes on Jan. 19. The coalition partners 1 have also agreed on other structural reforms that will reduce the number of civil servants by 25 percent within ten years, cut the CONTENTS number of cabinet posts from 20 to 18 and abolish the system in Welcoming the Euro which senior bureaucrats speak on behalf of ministers during Diet The Prime Minister toured Europe as the new currency is launched; support debates. A last minute hitch over Japans international military role for the yen. 2 was resolved with an agreement that would allow Japans Self The Emperors New Year Defense Forces to actively participate and cooperate in U.N. greeting 2 peacekeeping missions if asked to do so by the United Nations. In talks with visiting U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen, Ambassador Saitos message Mr. Obuchi and Defense Minister Hosei Norota also discussed the In his New Year remarks to Japan Now Japan-U.S. security alliance, and the possibility of cooperating on an readers, the Ambassador sees better times ahead. 3 anti-missile defense system, in light of North Koreas missile- development and nuclear programs. The new coalition cabinet 4 (see page 2) Trends in Japan Consumers are given vouchers in an effort to boost domestic spending. 4 Viewpoint The U.S. and Japan join forces to research arctic phenomena. 5 South Korea lifts ban Japanese popular culture is allowed in for the first time since 1945. 6 Beyond Differences There was a darker side to the emerging tea culture in Japan. 7 Artistic tour de force The Edo period (1615-1868) is on display in all its splendor at the 8 National Gallery of Art. Pope John Paul II receives from Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi a flower vase decorated with irises designed by Chuji Fukagawa of the Meiji period, before a private audience at the Vatican Jan. 9, 1999. (AP Photo/Pool, Paul Hanna) EMPERORS GREETING FOR 64,000 A crowd of 64,000 people waving Japanese flags gathered on the grounds of the Imperial Palace in central Tokyo Jan. 2 to hear a New Years greeting GREETING THE EURO, from the Emperor. On the occasion of the start of the New Year, I pray for happiness for our nation SUPPORTING THE YEN and the people in the world, Emperor Akihito said. The royal family, including Empress Michiko, Crown Prince Naruhito and his wife, Princess Masako, appeared on a balcony seven times during On his Jan. 9-13 visit to France, Italy, the the day and waved to the crowd of well-wishers Vatican and Germany, Prime Minister below. Some people in the crowd cheered, Long Obuchi welcomed the introduction of the live the Emperor. The palace grounds are generally O new pan-European currency, the euro. closed to the public, except for Jan. 2 and the Eleven member states of the European Emperors birthday on Dec. 23. Also, on Jan. 7 the Union adopted the euro on Jan. 1, and Mr. Obuchi Emperor marked his tenth anniversary on the Chrysanthemum Throne. Accompanied by Empress stressed that Japan will work with all 11 of them to Michiko, he visited, prayed and conducted minimize disruptive exchange-rate fluctuations commemorative rituals before his father Emperor against the yen. Hirohitos tomb at the Musashino Mausoleum on the FRANCE: Talks with French President Jacques outskirts of Tokyo. Chirac and Prime Minister Lionel Jospin centered on the need for exchange market stability among the euro, the yen and the dollar. The birth of the euro reform of the international financial system. We brings without a doubt a great chance, Prime should look into better ways of how the Minister Obuchi said in Paris. Tripartite international currency system should be, he said cooperation between Japan, Europe and the United at a joint news conference with German Prime States would allow for creation of a stable and Minister Gerhard Schroeder. They also called for developed international monetary system. It is in enhanced supervision of the financial sector, this direction that we must cooperate. He continued including tackling issues related to hedge funds. that Japan would like to increase the utility of the Mr. Obuchi again expressed his resolve to keep the yen as an international currency, and that all yen a key global currency, stressing that the three countries and people should benefit from economic poles Europe, the U.S. and Japan should globalization. In Paris, as in all his stops, Mr. cooperate for the sake of stabilizing the global Obuchi said that he is confident, that his vigorous currency system. It is desirable that the dollar, the policy of deregulation will result in stable growth euro and the yen remain as the key three in Japan for fiscal 1999 and beyond. currencies, he said, before returning to Tokyo. ITALY: In Rome, currency markets also dominated FOREIGN MINISTER TO THE MIDEAST the agenda in talks between the Prime Minister and Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura Italian Premier Massimo DAlema. We was engaged in high-stakes shuttle diplomacy in reaffirmed, the two said in a joint-statement, that the Mideast in mid-January. He met with Egyptian the stability of foreign-exchange markets is of key President Hosni Mubarak, Syrian President Hafez importance not only to each of our economies but el Assad in Damascus and Lebanese Prime to the entire world economy, and they pledged to Minister Salim Hoss in Beirut before traveling to cooperate in the future. Israel. Japan maintains a contingent of peacekeepers in the U.N. mission on the Golan VATICAN: While in Rome the Prime Minister met Heights. In Israel, he presented Prime Minister with Pope John Paul II and presented the Pope with Benjamin Netanyahu with a four-point plan for an a 19-century porcelain vase, while giving him his Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, which senior best wishes for his health. Take care of yourself so Israeli officials termed impressive. Mr. Koumura that you can take care of the people of the world, also met with Palestinian leader Yassir Arafat, and Mr. Obuchi told the 78-year-old pontiff. The two signed a $12 million agreement to provide discussed church-state relations in Japan and the garbage-handling equipment to the Palestinian Asian financial crisis. They also talked about the Interim Self-Government Authority. This was a part plans to mark the 450th anniversary of St. Francis of the $200 million assistance package Japan had Xaviers landing at Kagoshima in Japan on Aug. JAPAN pledged last November for the coming two years. 15, 1549. As Mr. Obuchi departed the Pope said NOW Since 1993 Japan has extended a total of $350 Arigato, or thank you. 2 million to the Palestinian government, including BONN: The Prime Minister wrapped up his assistance through international organizations and week-long tour of Europe by again calling for direct grants in aid. AMBASSADOR SAITOS NEW YEAR MESSAGE Happy New Year! I am delighted to wish, on behalf of the Japanese people and the embassy staff, all the readers of Japan Now H from all over the United States, a happy and Ambassador Kunihiko Saito prosperous 1999 as we approach the new millennium. Last year was a momentous one, in which serious, Japan has a number of important assets, Japans efforts at economic recovery dominated such as the largest foreign currency reserves in the both domestic policy and foreign diplomacy. The world, the highest household savings and literacy stakes were high; Japan, the second largest rates, a well-trained workforce and a stable, economy in the world, urgently needed to revitalize disciplined social system. I am optimistic about the its economy for its own sake and to help Asia future of our economy and of Japan itself. We will emerge from its economic crisis. emerge from our current difficulties stronger for the My government addressed the issue by experience. codifying and implementing a series of economic Last year also saw the importance of the stimulus measures to bring about domestic bilateral political and security relationship between recovery, and by enacting bold financial- Japan and the U.S. reaffirmed. The turmoil in Iraq revitalization laws to eliminate the bad loan and in the former Yugoslavia makes it abundantly problem dragging down Japans financial clear that international stability has not fallen institutions. Last November, Prime Minister neatly into place in the aftermath of the Cold War Obuchis Cabinet announced a record $200 billion as had been predicted. Furthermore in the Asia- (almost 5 percent of GDP) stimulus package. Pacific region, the widespread financial crisis and The package, which consists of substantial North Koreas missile test of Aug. 31 left public investments to improve Japans instability, uncertainty and tension in their wake. infrastructure, ease the credit crunch, and Indeed, in these difficult times, the permanently reduce personal and corporate taxes, maintenance of a strong Japan-U.S.
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